Bloom

Like an artist by =JellyVampire on deviantART

And speaking of blooming, the Felishorn team, spearheaded by One Winged Angel, recently hosted a Hanami celebration to honor Japan in recent light of the disastrous earthquake.  I was taken by surprise, and so touched that they were able to come up with something so sensitive and relevant to the times, and to have held such a successful event.  Using Felishorns to bring meaning to the world is something I dream of, and strive for with varying success.  I have been so proud of the Felishorn team lately, and this event has only reminded me of the impact we can have on our community when we work hard at what we love, and when we work together.  Here are snippets of the thread.

Hello everyone, and welcome to the Felishorns Hanami event! The Hanami is the ancient Japanese tradition of admiring flowers and celebrating their beauty along with the renewal of spring. From the end of March to early May, thousands of people gather to view many types of flowering trees, the most popular and well known being the Sakura, or cherry blossom. It is a cause of celebration for the people of Japan, who gather to have parties beneath the bows of the Sakura, enjoying them both during the day and at night. In the evening, the eldritch beauty of the trees is enjoyed by the light of paper lanterns strung along their branches, illuminating the delicate flowers.

It is a time of friends, family, feasting, and above all, enjoying the brief yet beautiful appearance of the Sakura. To celebrate, I have many games and prizes for you all, so I hope you will join me in our own version of the Hanami!

~OWA

 

You are a traveler in modern day Japan, wandering along its streets during early spring in the hopes of joining in on the Hanami celebration you have heard so much about. So far you have seen many interesting things during your journey, however you cannot resist the lure of the delicate flowers, or the promise of the parties which are sure to have banquets of traditional food, new people to talk to, and music.

As you leave the city streets and turn onto a bricked path which leads you to the calm, quiet green of a park by a river, you catch sight of something out of the corner of your eye. Turning, you tilt your head as you watch a pale, delicate blossom drift to the ground. Sakura? But you haven't even reached the party yet...perhaps it has drifted on the wind across the river? Yet the thought is quickly brought to an abrupt halt as you look up and find that the park you entered before, has changed. Elegant trees arch above you, their gnarled branches laden with clouds of soft pink and white blossoms. A subtle, warm wind shakes their bows, bringing down gentle drifts of petals which gather at the base of the trees like snow. Suddenly, the blossoms seem to rise again, stirred by the force of a wind which you cannot feel, but which carries with it the sharp scent of spring rain and earth. As the petals slowly settle, something seems to be taking form out of the Sakura itself. Transparent at first, slowly gaining solidity, a female felishorn steps out from between the dark trunks, her coat blending in with the scenery. You are uncertain as to weather she is real or not, yet like the proverbial Cheshire cat, you are drawn to a pair of pink eyes which watch you from the shadows, and a gently smiling mouth. She does not speak, merely beacons you with her eyes as she turns, bounding along the narrow dirt path towards the soft glow of lantern light. Shapes move through the trees here, men and women dressed in kimonos, but you cannot be certain if they are human.

Have you just encountered one of the legendary Yokai...?

You follow her never the less, hoping that the encounter will be prosperous rather than troublesome...

I would like to say, now that I have gone into the details of the event, that when I came up with the idea for celebrating the Hanami festival through the Felishorns I never expected that a rather somber shadow would be cast upon it. In light of the recent tragedy which befell Japan earlier this month, I feel that the event itself has taken on a double meaning-it is now in a certain sense, a way for me to pay tribute to those whose lives were taken by a disaster which has devastated this historically rich and beautiful country. In Japan, the Sakura has come to symbolize, among many things, transience- in other words our humanity, our mortality. Because the trees bear flowers for only a brief time each year, the delicate blossoms have come to serve as a reminder of the fragility of life. This disaster has proven once again the Sakura's lesson to be true. Life is brief, life is fleeting-it can be washed away in an instant.

But the Sakura has a second meaning, one which also holds true- Hope. Because the blossoms will always return each year, they mark the arrival of new beginnings. They remind us to find the strength to look ahead, towards the future. And while the past cannot be forgotten, and there are many hearts left heavy with sorrow, Japan has hope. For those survivors who are left behind, many countries around the world have gathered together to provide assistance. Hopefully, in time, though the aftermath of this disaster still plagues them, Japan and its people will find the peace they need to heal.

Look at this beautiful art.  I couldn't be any prouder, and more astounded.